Customers volunteer to guard food market robbed at gunpoint

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- At the Cedar Food Market in Southeast Fresno, everyone is treated like family.

It's why customers are volunteering to guard this mom-and-pop shop shaken by two armed robberies.

"I just live right here, and I always look out for her," said Dina Marquez.

Dina Marquez has been a long-time friend of the business owner.

She was inside Sunday night moments before a man in a hooded sweatshirt walked in with a gun.

He pointed it first at two customers, before turning to the owner, forcing her to hand over the cash.

"It's kind of mean that someone would take advantage of her like that. Especially a person that nice. She really is that nice," Marquez said.

The business owner didn't want to speak on camera but told us this is the second time in a week the same man has robbed her.

Neighbors say she routinely offers food and drinks to the homeless and likely would have helped the suspect too if he had just asked.

"It's pretty sad when people have to do that to another person. It's hard these days to run a business. Let alone by yourself," Marquez said.

Police say the suspect was wearing a red bandana and had several very distinctive tattoos.

If not just detectives, customers say they're looking out for the robber too.